


I Won't Do It, Don't Ask Me

by madameruth



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Angst and Romance, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff without Plot, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-06-10 12:19:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6956203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madameruth/pseuds/madameruth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No one can make B'Elanna do anything she doesn't want to do.. except maybe Kathryn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Won't Do It, Don't Ask Me

Kathryn Janeway considered herself in the full-length mirror in her bedroom and smiled. It wasn't often she got to wear civilian clothing, and she had to admit that it was a crying shame. She liked her uniform... not only the way it felt, but what it represented to her. Yet as she took in her reflection and the stunning new outfit that clung to her well-toned frame, Kathryn felt wonderfully giddy. A month's worth of replicator rations had been well spent. 

She moved into the living room as if floating on air, pouring two glass of Chardonnay with a flourish. She'd barely finished pouring the second glass when the door chime sounded. 

Kathryn smiled. As always, B'Elanna was right on time. "Come on in, " Kathryn called. The doors to her cabin sighed open and B'Elanna hesitantly stepped inside. The chief engineer seemed uneasy, worried. Kathryn didn't like the look of her at all. "B'Elanna, you're not dressed. You'd better hurry, love. The party started five minutes ago."

"I'm not going, " B'Elanna said. 

Kathryn gasped. "I beg your pardon?"

"I'm not going, " B'Elanna said firmly. 

"B'Elanna, " Kathryn said evenly. "Neelix has been planning this party for a month. All our friends are going to be there. I-I got all dressed up for this."

"So go, " B'Elanna said. "No one is stopping you. I... have some work to finish up in engineering. Send Neelix my regards."

Kathryn grunted. "I will do no such thing. There's nothing you have to do in engineering that can't wait until morning. Now you just turn around, march back to your quarters, and find something nice to wear because you are going to the party tonight."

"Is that an order, Captain?" B'Elanna snapped. 

"Damn it, " Kathryn hissed. "What is the matter with you?"

"Nothing, " B'Elanna growled. "I just don't want to go to this stupid party... and you can't make me so just drop it, Kathryn. I am not going."

Kathryn narrowed her eyes. "Alright, Lieutenant. If you won't go as my lover then you will go as my chief engineer. Morale on this ship has been lower than a targ's belly as you would say, and you will set an example for the crew by having fun this evening."

B'Elanna rolled her eyes impatiently. "That's so typical of you, Kathryn. If you can't get what you want from me you pull rank. Is this what you call a relationship? You barking orders at me? Well I'll tell you something, I am getting really tired of this. I'll bet if I wasn't in the mood to make love you'd order me between your legs! Well, I've had it! I had a life of my own before I met you."

"Then maybe, " Kathryn said icily, "you should just go back to that life."

"Maybe I will, " B'Elanna said. 

Kathryn nodded. "Fine."

"Fine, " B'Elanna said. "Have fun tonight, Kathryn. If you meet someone nice try not to pull rank until after you get them into bed. They'll appreciate it in the morning." With that, she spun on her heels and hurried out. 

Kathryn stood there for a long moment, jaw clenched, trying to figure out what had just happened between her and B'Elanna... but no answer immediately sprung to mind. The rage that had been bubbling inside her quickly turned into something more crippling. Her legs turned to jelly, her muscles felt weak. A bottomless hole opened up in the pit of her stomach... and all she wanted to do was cry. At the moment all she wanted to do was fall to her knees and cry. 

But something wouldn't let her. 

Something forced her to follow after B'Elanna. 

Kathryn headed down the corridor, fighting back the sting of tears welling up in her eyes. Each step toward B'Elanna's quarters seemed to require every ounce of energy she could muster. After what seemed like forever -even though in reality it couldn't have been more than a few minutes- she reached the door to B'Elanna's cabin. With trembling hands, she reached out for the door chime. Kathryn stood there for a long time waiting for an answer but realized none was likely to be coming any time soon. She took a hesitant step forward and wasn't terribly surprised when the door hissed open. 

"B'Elanna?" Kathryn whispered. She heard a faint sniffling noise and followed it to the bedroom. B'Elanna was sitting on the edge of the bed, head buried in her hands. She looked up as Kathryn entered. 

"I'm s-sorry, " B'Elanna snuffled. "I didn't mean a word of it. I swear to you, Kathryn. I didn't mean a blessed word of it. I... I love you more than words can describe. Say you can forgive me."

"Already done, " Kathryn whispered. "Would you like to tell me what's really bothering you?"

B'Elanna looked up through tear soaked eyes. "You'll laugh."

"I won't, " Kathryn said. She took a step closer, cupping B'Elanna's chin in her hand, brushing away the tears streaming down her lover's face with the pad of her thumb. "I would never laugh at anything you had to tell me. You know, unless you were trying to tell a joke."

B'Elanna smiled. "You always know how to make me smile."

"Self interest, " Kathryn told her. "You have a lovely smile and I enjoy seeing it. Now tell me what's wrong."

B'Elanna swallowed hard. "I can't dance."

Kathryn blinked. "And?"

"And that's it, " B'Elanna said. "I've spent the last two weeks on the damned holodeck trying to learn how and I just can't do it!"

"B'Elanna, " Kathryn said, bewildered. "There's nothing wrong with not being able to dance."

"Yes there is!" B'Elanna cried. She got to her feet and started pacing. "All month you've been talking about how much fun it would be for the two of us to go to this party as a couple and dance the night away. It's important to you!"

Kathryn sighed. "Oh, Lanna.. You can really be exacerbating sometimes. I don't care if we dance or just sit there in the corner. As long as we're together nothing else matters. Haven't you realized that by now, you silly goose? I love you for what you are."

"I do know that, " B'Elanna said. "But I feel bad that I can't always give you the things you want. Even if its something as simple as a dance."

Kathryn drew in a deep breath and sighed. "Computer, " she said. "I want to hear 'Moonlight Serenade'." In an instant, the cabin was filled with the lilting sound of ancient Terran music. She took B'Elanna's hands and pulled her close.

"Kathryn..." B'Elanna protested. 

"Shhh, " Kathryn said. "Don't make me pull rank." The smile on her lips and the glimmer in her eyes took the edge off her words and B'Elanna responded with a crooked smile of her own. Kathryn pulled B'Elanna into her arms, holding her close, swaying slowly as the music swelled around them. She let her hands slide down to massage B'Elanna's well rounded buttocks and B'Elanna sighed into her ear. 

"Kathryn...." B'Elanna whispered. 

"Now, " Kathryn said. "Is this so hard?"

B'Elanna laughed. "I could get used to it." She put her arms around Kathryn's neck and looked deeply into the other woman's eyes. "I feel like such an idiot. Sometimes I don't know how or even why you put up with me."

"Simple, " Kathryn replied. "I am madly in love with you and there will never come a time when I can't say that." 

"I love you, too, Kathryn, " B'Elanna whispered. 

Kathryn pulled B'Elanna even closer, holding her tightly as the music swelled around them. "Don't look now, " Kathryn whispered, "but you're dancing." B'Elanna laughed and Kathryn joined her, and they lost themselves in their passionate embrace as they danced the night away.


End file.
